


Someday We'll Know

by Rose_Nightshade



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura Lives, Angst with a Happy Ending, Different ending than S8 OBVIOUSLY, Gen, Glossing over of S8, Happy Ending, Illness, Light Angst, Lotor Lives, M/M, MENTIONS of Curtis but not in the context that you'd expect, Mild angst but with a happy ending, Post S7, SHEITH - Freeform, Shiro is dumb but I love him (And so does Keith)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 12:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18992830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Nightshade/pseuds/Rose_Nightshade
Summary: Post the events of S7, in the months following the fall of the Lions, and the defeat of Sendak, during the rebuild of Earth, Shiro gets terrible news.His illness has returned. He tells no one.(FYI mentions of [Man] but not in the context that you'd think)Originally posted on my twitter as a fic thread and written on a whim~





	1. If love can move a mountain

His illness has returned.  
Shiro tells no one.  
He'd hoped his body - the clone body - would have been rid of it. Hoped that with everything terrible the Galra had done to him, too much of which he still couldn't recall, he would have, could have, been granted this one kindness.  
But scans and blood work results confirmed otherwise.

The clone bodies just weren't built to last, is his best guess. Grown at an accelerated rate, packed away in stasis like microwave fresh soldiers to be decanted one at a time as needed. They were likely made to last only several years at most. He conjectures that the scientists left the illness as a sort of time triggered self destruct fail safe in the disposable copies of himself. 

But ultimately the _why_ doesn't matter. It isn't as if he can ever ask the Galra who orchestrated the details of his current situation. And even if he _could_ , they would likely lie to him. So instead he does what he knows he has to; he plays his role as a leader.

While the Paladins recover from the injuries sustained in their battle and the fall afterwards, he seeks medical care in secret. Sam quickly finds out, as do Matt, and Coran. He swears them to secrecy.

"Please, I don't want them to worry." Shiro doesn't like lying to his friends, or keeping secrets, but he also knows that if any of them knew he was sick, they would want him to stay on Earth. Out of the fight. At least that is his worry.

"Shiro, are you kidding me?! You need to tell them!" The incredulity in Matt's voice is grating. He gestures at his friend in frustration. 

"If I tell them, they'll only want me to stay here to be treated instead of going out there and helping them. The Atlas needs me, and Voltron _needs_ the Atlas. Our last battle proved that all too well." The retort shuts up Matt, but the scowl on his face says he doesn't like it.

"Maybe you do need to stay here, son..." Sam is always well meaning, but even he knows he's wrong, and Shiro can tell.

"Sam, you know I can't." Shiro sighs.

"Well you could at least tell them! They deserve to know!" Matt's arms cross over his chest stubbornly, as scowl fixed to his face.

"That I have a terminal illness and probably won't last the year? And what good will it do? They'll only worry. We all have more than enough to worry about already, you know that." He tried to keep the impatience out of his voice, he really did, but some bled through at the edges, in his tone, and the pinch of his eyes.

"Ah, hello Sam! Hello Matt! And Shiro, good afternoon! What's this about something 'terminal'?" Coran sauntered up more chipper and curious than he had reason to be, obviously having overheard the worst part of the conversation from the interested expression on his face.

"Nothing, Coran, just..." Shiro heaved a sigh.

"Just what, my lad?" A patient but curious ginger brow rose expectantly. The look said he already knew.

"Just... please Coran, don't tell Allura. Or anyone." Another sigh, and Shiro felt as if he had even more just waiting to be set free. It was going to be an exhausting day.

"Alright, but allowing for one condition!" The corners of Coran’s mustache tugged up with a well meaning smile. 

That... wasn't the sort of reply Shiro had expected. "Uhm... what condition?"

"You fill me in on all the details and allow me to help treat you."

"Coran, you..." Shiro was genuinely taken aback and touched by the kind offer.

"Want to help? Why of course I do!" Coran grinned widely and clapped him on his metal shoulder while Matt blinked in vague surprise and Sam started to smile himself after looking shocked for only a brief moment.

"You know... I think I may have an idea of how you can receive treatment _and_ Captain the Atlas at the same time." Sam's smile morphed slowly into a grin as he made a habitual motion to adjust glasses that he no longer wore, turning the motion into a nose scratch.

"You do?" Shiro and Matt spoke in unison. It was hard to tell which of them was more surprised.

"Well, during Sendak's occupation of Earth, as you know, we were extremely low on supplies, as well as personnel, for obvious reasons. Many of us had to pull double duty and I think I may know just the man for the job. Have you met Lieutenant Curtis?"

"I don't… think so. I haven't heard the name?" Shiro arched a white brow.

"Malcolm Curtis. He's a doctor, but also an excellent communications officer. I also happen to know for certain - and pardon me for not saying more – that he’s excellent at keeping quiet, and keeping secrets. I was going to recommend him for bridge crew on the Atlas, actually."

Coran leapt in before Shiro could even formulate a response. "Why, that's a brilliant idea, Sam! When can you introduce us?"

"Well, if the two of you have time now..." Sam looked obligingly between his longtime friend and the exuberant Altean man.

Shiro sighed in defeat. "I was on my way to the medical wing anyway..."

"Excellent! We'll meet him now then!"

Shiro really needed to ask the ginger Altean where he got all his energy some time.

"And with the combination of Altean, Human, and knowledge from others in the Coalition, I'm certain we can find you a cure!"

Despite the recent bad news, and the momentous trials that he knew lay ahead, Shiro found a small flicker of hope begin to burn within.


	2. Why I wasn't meant for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro is an idiot.  
> Keith is too self sacrificing for the man he loves.   
> Allura is a good bean who only wants to help her friends. Things end in a much better way than in canon.

After they return to Earth, after they hastily and very nearly fatally defeat Sendak and the unexpected Altean piloted robeast, after a long and trying, exhausting journey to make it home, the Paladins recover slowly. They rest, a little.

Keith notices Shiro pulling away.

Keith says nothing.

Keith is pretty sure he knows _why_ Shiro starts to distance himself.

Keith is wrong.

He thinks it's because of their fight. His confession. Three words that only bought him a few seconds during the fight, but may have changed everything after. But Keith is too scared to ask why. He’s too scared to confirm his fears. He never expected his feelings to be returned - even if he had hoped - but he also didn't expect to lose his best friend. Keith would rather die than lose Shiro, but as the days pass, and he recovers more, he realizes Shiro is... busier than usual. Busier than he's ever been.

He used to make time for him, for them. But he doesn't do that any more. Sometimes, it even seems like he's actively _avoiding_ Keith. The Red Paladin tries not to let it hurt, but it does. Shiro means more to him than anything. Shiro _is_ everything to him. But he told him that. Keith has already told Shiro how he feels. But Shiro never did tell him how he feels. 

Or maybe, doesn't.

It's possible that Shiro doesn't remember, he knows that, but he overheard him talking to Allura once - he hadn't meant to eavesdrop - and he'd said he had the clone's memories. So Keith... says nothing. He just watches with heartbreak as Shiro recedes back to the role of kind mentor, not close friend. He watches as Shiro spends more time with the bridge crew before launch.

He watches a sunset, alone except for his wolf until Lance shows up. The last sunset on Earth before they launch. He took Black just outside the Garrison, near where he and Shiro used to race hoverbikes, back when he was still a cadet. Only a few years, but what now feels like an entire lifetime ago.

He'd hoped Shiro would come.

He'd said to spend time with the people you love.

Keith was slowly forcing himself to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't that for Shiro.

Keith is wrong.

But Keith says nothing.

And Shiro says nothing.

And Matt, and Sam, and Coran, keep Shiro’s secret.

Shiro spends more time with his doctor, Malcolm. It’s out of necessity, but people notice. Because of course they do. The Atlas is a massive ship, and her crew isn't small, but there are only so many places to go, and everyone knows everyone else, or quickly gets to.

Keith notices.

He doesn't want to confront Shiro about it, they don't have _time_ for their feelings to get in the way of trying to stop whatever Honerva is up to, but when he sees them together in the hall, laughing... Keith can't help himself. The next time he sees Shiro - he asks.

"Why do you spend all your time with him?" He tries to keep his tone even, plain. But he just can't. He's jealous, hurt, and tired of pretending that he isn't. Even if Shiro doesn't love him, it's not too much to want to see your friend, right? To be hurt that they’ve been ignoring you? "You never hang out with any of us any more."

"Him? Him who?" Shiro blinks in confusion and surprise at the abrupt questioning.

"Lieutenant Curtis." He doesn't mean to, but the name comes out sounding like a curse. The man might be a skilled navigator, and work more closely with Shiro than he does any more, but-

Shiro panics, fearing Keith has found out some how. _Stupidly_ , he blurts out the very first easy lie that comes to mind. "We're dating."

Keith's eyes go impossibly wide, but he swiftly tries to disguise his shock. "You're... what?" His voice doesn’t do as good of a job as his expression, it comes out small and raw.

"Me and Curtis. Are. Uh... dating." It doesn't come out easier the second time. He regrets the words, they feel heavy on his tongue, they sound false, they _feel_ like the lie that they are. And Keith's expression is starting to close off, he’s shutting himself down. Shiro recognizes the look as his own stomach clenches. Keith is walling off like he used to when he was just a teen. Protecting himself from hurt. But this time, instead of Shiro offering a hand up and a way out of that loneliness, he's the one pushing him away. Instantly he feels relief, his secret is still safe. And instantly he _utterly_ loathes himself. 

Keith's face goes blank, and all Shiro can think is _Of all the things to say, why did he choose _that_ as the lie? This is bad, I shouldn't have said that. **Why** did I say that?!_ His heart gets caught painfully somewhere in his throat and he tries not to let it show.

"Oh." The one syllable reply is all Keith can manage. His voice is a ghost of its usual warm certainty. 

Shiro barely even hears it, barely has time to register it before Keith is quickly turning and walking away. He catches a faint, pained but genuine reply before Keith disappears around the nearest corner. 

"I hope you're happy, Shiro."

Shiro is the furthest thing he could be from happy. The only reason he has been spending more time with Malcolm is that he's getting worse. They're barely staving off the symptoms of his condition from becoming obvious. Shiro wants desperately to explain why he's become distant, why he's withdrawn, but he can't. He knows if he does it will break the both of them. If Shiro confesses to Keith that he loves him too, but that he's dying... Keith won't be able to move on after he's gone. And he doesn't want that. So he lets him believe the lie. Even as both of their hearts break.

Shiro says nothing. Keith says nothing.

They don't speak to one another again outside the capacity of Atlas Captain and Leader of Voltron.

They no longer act like friends.

Keith leads the team, fights viciously, desperately, dispassionately.

Shiro leads the Atlas, professionally, authoritatively, growing weaker in secrecy and silence.

Time passes. Battles are won and lost. They fight the good fight, as they have always done.  
And then it’s done.

The war is over. And somehow, despite all they have lost, they win.

They save all of existence. And, impossibly, they _all_ survive.

But not without sacrifice. And not without the the chance to start anew.

The Lions, Voltron, does not return with them from the white abyss of limbo at the source of everything. They and their energy, their quintessence and the transreality ore, manipulated by the spirits of the ancient Paladins of old, fuels the return, the recreation, of the vast and infinite multiverse.

They become something different, celestial. Truly Guardians of the Universe. New nebula appear in five corners of their reformed universe, colored in the shades of Voltron, and shaped like the Paladins of old. Everyone feels as if they are keeping watch, still protecting everyone.

They all return home to Earth, triumphant, but exhausted.

Allura goes to a newly restored Altea, bearing alternately in her arms, or sometimes passed over to Coran, an infant Lotor, reincarnated without memory. Granted a second chance by the parents that had failed him in his first life.

They agree to keep his identity a secret until he is old enough to know and understand his past. Allura, with her capacity for forgiveness, agrees to raise him without bias. Lance leaps at the opportunity to help. At Keith's suggestion, they name him Yorak.

A second chance. A different life.

Lance and his family spend more time on Altea. Allura and Lance quickly grow even closer, while Keith and Shiro barely speak to one another.

Days pass, weeks, and then months, go by.

Pidge works with Matt on robotics projects and even creates an android that Hunk dubs 'Chip'.

Keith works with his mother and Kolivan on the beginning stages of transitioning the Blade of Marmora from stealth espionage agents into a disaster relief organization.

Shiro sees his doctor more, continuing to try and hide his decline. Until one night, when the sound of a deafening roar wakes him. He has a vision of the Guardian of Oriande, of the White Lion. Of Atlas. And he realizes. He _is_ still a Paladin. Just not of Voltron. The call from Allura comes before he's really had a chance to really process it what the vision means, even though he feels it in his bones.

"Shiro! I've just had the most unbelievable dream! The Guardian!" Her voice is full of surprise and unrestrained joy as she rushes through a recounting of her dream. Breathlessly, still overwhelmed, Shiro confirms that his was the same. "Shiro... this is incredible! The Guardian of Oriande, the White Lion! I'm so happy for you!"

His lips pull into a small sad smile. "I'm honored... but I don't think it's going to matter for very long, Allura."

Confusion immediately replaces the joy on the princess's face. "What do you mean?"

With a faint, tired sigh, Shiro confesses the secret he's been hiding. He doesn't have much longer, and there's very soon going to be no hiding it anymore anyway. And he's so weary of doing so. By the end of his explanation, she is aghast and tears fill her eyes, but don't fall. 

"Shiro, why didn't you TELL US?!"

He's already explained why, but the reprimand is still well deserved. There's not much more that he can say. "I'm sorry, Allura..."

"Don't be. There’s no need. I'm coming to Earth immediately."

Her sudden change of demeanor and response is surprising - and confusing. "What? Why?"

"I did not retrieve you from the consciousness of the Black Lion only for you to die. Certainly not when you have so much life you deserve to live ahead of you. It's absolutely unacceptable-"

"But Allura, I don't understand-"

"Shiro. You are a Paladin, and a dear friend. I will not sit idly by and just _let_ this happen. I'll be on a shuttle for Earth shortly. Meet me aboard the Atlas in twenty dobashes. I did _not_ become an Alchemist and Life Giver to let my abilities go to waste."

Shiro just stares.

"I'll see you soon."

Dumbfounded by Allura's response, still processing and overwhelmed by the dream, Shiro lets the silent datapad drop into his lap. Was Allura implying she could _heal_ him? But if that was the case, then why had Coran never suggested such a thing was possible? There were too many questions spinning in his head as a result of the last half an hour. Twenty minutes, and Allura would be there. He had to get up. A chance was a chance, even if it was far fetched and he couldn't quite understand it, he was willing to try.

A short twenty minutes - give or take a dobash - of time later, he found himself waiting on the bridge of the quiet and empty Atlas, wishing not for the first time that the command position had a chair he could sit in. It was all too easy to get lost in thought on the silent bridge. Mind drifting back to the months they’d spent on the Atlas together.

He could have told them once they were underway, should have told them. They wouldn't have demanded that they turn around and return to Earth for just one person. But he hadn't. And it was something he regretted. He hoped he would be able to live to continue to regret it.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Allura's arrival until the doors behind him opened audibly.

"Shiro." She smiled kindly, opening her arms and enfolding him in her smaller embrace without hesitation.

"Hi Allura..." Again, he wasn't sure what to say. She saved him the trouble.

" _You_ are not fated to die a young death, my friend. Not after all we've survived. I only wish you'd told me sooner..." Her fingertips brushed his cheek, brow pinched in concern. " Now. Close your eyes... connect with the Atlas." The words are gentle and self assured. The touch on his cheek is still there, connecting them, and he feels the touch of fingertips on the other side of his face as well as he obeys and allows his eyes to fall shut. He can see it, feel it, even with his eyes closed. The Atlas' quintessence.

But this time is different, this time, he hears an answering growl, he sees the White Lion, the Guardian of Oriande, and he enters the inner quintessence of the Atlas.

The space is completely silent. A void of light that reminds him of the limbo they were trapped in at the end of their battle with Honerva. It is both blindingly bright and reassuringly soft. Almost an inversion of the realm he remembers being inside the Black Lion. Again he hears a growl, almost a purr.

Shiro turns in the otherwise silent place and comes nearly face to face with an enormous white maned lion. "You're the Guardian..." Ancient intelligent eyes burning with liquid living quintessence regard him warmly. He doesn't feel threatened, or afraid, just... protected and accepted, perhaps… awaited?

It steps towards him slowly, lowering its massive head to his level, and unexpectedly, presses its furred forehead into Shiro's in a soft touch. A deep vibrating purr is all he hears or feels before awaking with a gasp back into the physical realm.

He feels warm all over.

Allura is just stepping back from him, a smile of relief painting her face in somber tones as he looks down at his hands, one flesh, one artificial, in surprise. It feels like every nerve ending in his body is buzzing with electricity. "What just...?"

"Let’s just say that you will _not_ be dying."

"You... healed me? _How_?" His incredulity is only surpassed by the tremble of relief overtaking him. He can feel it. He feels better than he has in months. Weakness, exhaustion, all gone. His _disease_ is gone.

"With the help and knowledge of the Guardian. You deserve a very long life, Shiro. Now you will have one."

"Allura... Thank you... I... I don't know what to say." He clenched his fist on his trembling hand, lowering it to his side, resisting the urge to cry.

"Promise me only that you won't keep any more secrets from us. You're part of our family Shiro. All of us. We care for you."

"I care about you too... All of you. Thank you. Thank you so much..."

Allura just smiled kindly. "Come. Let's have breakfast together. We can talk."

"Yeah... I'd like that..."


	3. Someday You'll Know (That I was the one for you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THEY FINALLY TALK. HELLS YEAH ITS HAPPY ENDING TIME. Keith is all stressed first though, the poor guy. XD

Later, extensive testing would confirm what he already knew; he was cured. He feels around ten thousand years younger.

The doctors that have been treating him are absolutely stunned. Malcolm specifically says it's nothing short of miraculous. There is only one person he wants to tell, wants to confess everything to. But Keith is with the Blades, and not even in the same star system.

Shiro gets a message relayed out to deep space anyway. It's simple, short.

_'Please come back to Earth when you have time. I need to tell you something. Stay safe out there.'_

He doesn't expect one at all, but he gets a response less than twenty four hours later. It's also short.

_'I'll be back in two days. Are you ok?'_

Shiro smiles at his datapad and the simple words, the intense concern they manage to convey. He can almost hear Keith's voice. _'I think I finally am, yeah. I'll see you soon. Don't worry, everything is alright.'_

\-------------

Shiro's somewhat ominous messages are the only thing that Keith can think about for the next two days.

They completely consume his mind.

Endless possibilities running in circles. Something has to be wrong. Shiro never asks for anything. Let alone for Keith to do something. Not anymore. With a pang of heartache as he flies back towards Earth's solar system, Keith wonders if it has something to do with Lieutenant Curtis.

Shiro hadn’t talked about the man much in the time since they returned from their mission to stop Honerva, but then, they haven’t spoken to one another much at all.   
His stomach is in knots until he sees the familiar blue sphere of his home planet come on the radar. At that point he just feels like maybe he needs to throw up. And an awful possibility occurs to him as he breaks atmosphere. What if Shiro is going to tell him he’s getting married? He didn’t think things were that serious between the two men, but then, when you’re avoiding someone, inevitably you miss a lot. 

Dread is weighing him down by the time he lands. He can barely bring himself to send the message letting Shiro know he’s here. He really wants to throw up. Only his Blade training lets him keep his stomach in check. If he came back to Earth just to be told that the man he loves is going to be forever out of his reach… he doesn’t know what he’ll do. Probably something dramatic like fling himself into a black hole. Or more realistically, let himself be posted as far away as possible, so no one will have to witness his pathetic heartbreak. 

He thinks the other Paladins know. That he’s in love with Shiro. He’s never been good at hiding it. The way he looks at him, the lingering gazes and the steadfast devotion. Even the blind could tell he’s been in love with the man all along.   
Keith allows himself a long few minutes of silent breathing exercises to calm himself down, and drive out the feeling of nausea. 

Eventually he forces himself to get out of his small ship, not bothering to change out of his Blade uniform and not having anything to change into anyway. He has to meet Shiro soon, and he doesn’t want to be late. 

For some reason, Shiro asked him to meet at one of the Garrison hangars. When he arrives, he’s not surprised to see the man waiting for him. It takes him a moment to say hello, and all his deep breathing to calm himself down is quickly rendered worthless by the way his heart starts pounding. It’s been months since they’ve seen each other, but Shiro is still just as gorgeous. “Hey…”

“Hey yourself. Thanks for coming, Keith. I know you’re busy with the Blades, but…” It was always so endearing, the way Shiro runs a nervous hand over the back of his head. 

“It’s ok. What did you want to talk about?” A luxite blade couldn’t cut through the knots his insides were twisting themselves into.

Shiro answers with an easy smile and more familiarity than Keith has heard him speak with in _months_. He gestures with a pearly white mechanical thumb at two hover bikes behind him. “How about we go for a ride first?”

“Uh… you can’t tell me now?” Keith would rather run than race, but he doesn’t want to run from Shiro. Never Shiro. He does however, want to know what Shiro asked him back to Earth to tell him.

“I… I mean, I could… but…” His disappointment is almost palpable. 

Keith can’t stand the kicked puppy dog look on his face. He’s weak to Shiro and he always has been. What he wants, whatever he wants, Keith will give him. “If it's that important to you, we can go for a ride.”

Shiro let out a deep exhale of relief. “Thanks, Keith.” 

“Sure, Shiro. Anything for you.” 

It was hard not to tear up at the heartfelt words, and how they sounded wounded and raw. Keith, still patient with him, even after everything, still hurting because of what Shiro had done, and what he’d never said. 

Shiro wanted - needed - to fix this. He hoped tonight would be a start in that direction. Hoped that Keith would forgive him once he knew. Hoped that after all this time with it going unaddressed, that he wasn’t too late, that it wasn’t too much to ask.

They take the bikes out, and on the ride to wherever Shiro is leading him, Keith’s heart aches with how familiar and easy it all feels. But his mind is still racing faster than the hoverbikes, and he just can’t calm down completely. He figures this is probably Shiro’s way to soften him up for whatever he has to tell him, and as the sun dips closer to the horizon bit by bit, his anxiety grows. 

When they finally stop, Keith still feels like the engine inside the bike is vibrating through him even though they’re both turned off. He’s tense, and he knows it’s showing. He’s afraid to ask. Afraid to know. 

“So… what did you want to tell me?” It’s _so_ hard to keep his voice steady, to not let it catch in his throat. He can’t even make himself look over at the white haired man.

”I… was sick. Again. My illness came back. I found out once we got back to Earth. And it was worse than before. I think it must have been some sort of failsafe, built into the clone bodies...” 

Shiro’s voice was soft, gentle, but the words still felt like a gut punch. All color rapidly drained from Keith’s face. Shiro, dying? No. _NO._ Keith felt like he couldn’t breath, like his brain was shutting down. This, this isn’t what he had expected to hear. This was _infinitely_ worse. “Shiro…”

His friend offered a small reassuring smile that quickly shifted to concern accompanied by both hands quickly resting themselves solidly on his shoulders to get his attention. “Keith, Keith- I’m ok now. Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I should have led with that-“

“You… you’re not dying?” Keith had to gulp back tears, coaching himself back away from the edge of terror he’d been teetering on.

“Not anymore, no.” Shiro quickly shook his head to underline his words. “Thanks to Allura.”

“Oh god, oh thank god.” Keith wanted to sink to his knees, but somehow held himself steady. The whiplash of emotions was almost too much. But Shiro was ok. That was what mattered. “Why didn’t you _tell_ me, Shiro?!” He didn’t raise his voice, he wouldn’t, couldn’t at the man he cared for so much, but he was still furious.

“I’m sorry, Keith. I… I didn’t want any of you to know. I thought you would ask me to stay, but I knew we needed the Atlas… Sam and Matt knew, and Coran, but I asked them to keep it a secret.”

“Shiro are you _joking_?! How could you think I would ask you to stay behind just because you were sick?”

“Because I know how much you care about me. You, and all of you. And because I… didn’t want to make things any harder when I thought the inevitable would happen. It’s why I was acting distant. I’m sorry…” Saying it aloud made the explanation feel hollow, absolutely paper thin, but it was the only excuse he had, even if it was a poor defense, and idiotic in hindsight.

Keith was still reeling from the revelation. Suddenly so many things that hadn’t made sense before did. Missing puzzle pieces finally fitting into place. But one question floated to the surface. “Does… your boyfriend know?”

Shiro’s expression of confusion didn’t make any sense, nor his reply. ”My- But I don’t have a… Oh. _OH._ Keith, I-“ 

The embarrassment suddenly on Shiro’s face made even less sense than the confusion to Keith. “You… don’t?” There was hope in his words, carefully guarded. “But you said- What about whats-his-name? ...Curtis?”

“No. Me and Malcom aren’t… Curtis was my doctor, Keith. We never dated.”

“Then why did you say that? Why did you lie?” And just as importantly, his brain insisted, why did Shiro still have _both_ his hands on his shoulders? 

“It was the first thing I thought of, to be honest. The easiest cover story that I thought would keep you away from the truth… Malcolm and I are friends, but…” He paused and gave a faint sigh. Shiro shook his head gently, then smiled at the earnest expression on Keith’s face, hands squeezing his shoulders in emphasis. "Keith. It's you. It's _always_ been you. I love you.”

A gasp passed over Keith’s lips, his eyes widening. _Was this actually happening? How could this actually be happening? Shiro just-_ “You... what?” His voice came out as a hoarse croak. His heart was pounding again, but not in panic this time. 

“I love you, Keith.” 

It was no less impactful hearing it a second time. Especially not with Shiro pinning him with that gentle patient gaze. 

“Say it again.” Keith’s hands reached up, seemingly of their own accord, tangling themselves in the front of Shiro’s shirt, clinging to his presence. 

“I love you. I’m in love with you. And I regret not telling you sooner… but I was afraid, I didn’t want you to lose me, to put you through that-“ 

Keith’s lips swiftly silenced any other forthcoming apologies. 

They both gasped quietly as they parted, only enough to breath. Keith’s eyes burned with intensity. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now. It doesn’t matter. I love you, Shiro. I love you _so much_ …” 

The press of Shiro’s hands on his shoulders quickly morphed to a tight embrace encircling his back, broad strong arms that Keith had imaged holding him so many times. 

“I’m sorry, Keith… for lying to you… for being afraid.” His thick brows pinched together with apology. 

“Shiro, it doesn’t matter. It’s ok. I forgive you. I’d forgive you for anything, I’d do anything for you. Don’t you know that by now?” Keith let out a tearful laugh. 

“How can you just... forgive me so easily?” 

“Because I love you. Because I get it. You think I don’t know about pushing people away out of fear? That’s exactly what I always did before I met you.”

Shiro huffed out a faint laugh in the small space between them. “Yeah… I guess that’s true.”

“I wish you’d told me sooner, but I get it. I do. And I’m glad you’re ok. That’s all I care about. You’re all I care about…” A careful hand made its way to brush Shiro’s cheek, the touch light and almost reverent. 

“Keith….”

“I love you. Kiss me again, Shiro.” It was an almost breathless plea. 

Shiro couldn’t resist the request, and didn’t even want to try. Their lips met again, and again, sliding against one another, tasting and breathing in each other in small tender moments of intimate exploration broken only by tiny gasps between each parting. One of Shiro’s hands ends up tangled in Keith’s long hair, the other hooked securely around his lower back in a tight hold. Keith’s caress Shiro’s cheek and cradle the back of his head.

Both stare at the other with an intensity that speaks silent volumes and a multitude of hopes and promises to come.  
A few minutes later, still wrapped up in one another’s embrace, they watch the sun slip below the desert horizon, painting the sky and rocks in a thousand shades of warmth, and for the first time in years, they both feel as if everything will be ok. 

———

End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic & Chapter titles are lyrics from "Someday We'll Know" by The New Radicals
> 
> Thanks for reading! :3 <3
> 
> If you like you can find me on twitter! Normally I do waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more art than writing~  
> https://twitter.com/RoseNightshade

**Author's Note:**

> COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES, PEOPLE. Don't hide things from them unless it's absolutely essential for your safety. ;-; Communication is the most important thing in any relationship, ever. That and honesty!
> 
> Oh! And if you like, you can find me on twitter!  
> https://twitter.com/RoseNightshade


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